1. Technical Field
The technology relates to the production of hydrogen, and more particularly to the use of chemical reaction to produce hydrogen in a system that includes an electrode formed from metallic nano-particles suspended in an electrolyte.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a growing demand for sources of energy other than from the combustion of fossil fuels. The combustion of these fuels has long been associated with the production of undesirable combustion gas products, such as sulfur dioxide. In more recent years, it has also become a matter of concern that the combustion of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The growing concentration of carbon dioxide has been implicated in the phenomenon variously known as “global warming” or “climate change.” Accordingly, there is a desire to develop other sources of energy, or to find ways to utilize fossil fuels which may entail technologies that either sequester or otherwise remove the potential for carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere.
Among the proposed alternatives to fossil fuels as a source of energy that do not release carbon dioxide are solar power, wind power, nuclear power, marine (wave) power and hydrogen. Each of these power sources poses challenges and each may occupy a niche in a long term energy strategy aimed at minimizing the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hydrogen is a plentiful elemental gas but is usually chemically bound or in the atmosphere in a relatively small percentage. Accordingly, the large scale use of hydrogen requires technologies that will produce hydrogen from its chemically bound state and permit its capture in a form useful for conversion to energy, by combustion or otherwise. Much attention has been devoted to fuel cell technology, and the use of hydrogen as a potential automotive fuel is also being explored.